Bringing Dependent Children on Australia Subclass 884: Family Migration 2026

A child can be included in a Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 884) application only if they fall into one of three categories: under 18; 18 or over but not yet turned 23 and dependent on you or your partner; or over 23, unable to earn a living because of physical or cognitive limitations, and dependent on you or your partner. This is the test set out on the Australian Department of Home Affairs' Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 884) official page, as of the August 2026 version of that page. For every dependant aged 18 or over, the same page also requires a completed Form 47A (Details of a child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over) plus proof of financial dependency for at least the 12 months before you apply. The rest of this article is general reference only and is not advice on your own circumstances; the official page and the current Migration Regulations 1994 govern, so check both before acting.

Which children qualify, and at what age?

The age band decides how much you have to prove. A child under 18 is included on relationship alone; from 18 onwards dependency becomes the issue, and after 23 the only route is disability-based dependency.

Age band	Requirement on the official page	What you must add
Under 18	Must be your dependent child	Identity documents, relationship evidence, character documents if applicable
18 or over, not yet turned 23	Must be dependent on you or your partner	Identity, relationship, other-relationship and character documents, plus proof of dependency
Over 23	Unable to earn a living to support themselves due to physical or cognitive limitations, and dependent on you or your partner	Same as above, with dependency tied to the disability

The third band is narrow. Study, a gap year, or parental preference is not enough once a child is over 23; the official wording is about the inability to earn a living due to physical or cognitive limitations.

What does a dependent child under 18 need?

For each dependant under 18 who applies with you, the official page asks for identity documents, evidence of your relationship with them (for example a birth or marriage certificate), and character documents if applicable.

Identity is the part that most often goes wrong in internationally mobile families. The Department requires the pages of the current passport showing the photo, personal details, and issue and expiry dates, and warns that if identity cannot be proven it will refuse the application and may refuse visas for the applicant and listed family members for 10 years. Where a name has changed, add the supporting certificate or change-of-name document.

What changes once your child turns 18?

Everything. From 18, a child must be dependent on you or your partner, and you must prove it rather than assert it. The official page lists, for every dependant aged 18 or over: identity documents, evidence of the relationship, documents about their other relationships if applicable, character documents, and proof of dependency.

That last item has two parts. First, a completed Form 47A and proof of the relationship, such as a birth certificate or adoption papers. Second, evidence that the person has been financially dependent on you for at least 12 months before you apply.

How do you show 12 months of financial dependency?

The Department's page names three examples you could provide: proof they live with you, their tax records, and proof they are currently studying.

Think of the 12-month look-back as a documentary habit rather than a single certificate. For a child who has moved between countries, the useful materials are the ones that show a continuous pattern of reliance: transfers and support over the full year, a shared or funded address, enrolment and tuition records, and any tax or income records that show the child is not self-supporting. Study records alone do not establish dependency, but they explain why an adult child is not earning.

Can a child over 23 still be included?

Yes, but only on the disability ground: they must be unable to earn a living to support themselves due to physical or cognitive limitations, and dependent on you or your partner. The dependency evidence is still required, and in practice the disability evidence has to explain the link between the limitation and the inability to earn a living.

What if your child turns 23 while the application is pending?

The official page addresses this directly: if your child is likely to turn 23 while the application is processed, you will need to provide evidence that they are dependent on you due to disability. The Department points applicants to its Parent visa queue release dates page for processing-time information.

This is the single most consequential timing rule for families planning ahead. Parent visa processing queues are long, so a child who is comfortably inside the 18–22 band on the day you lodge can age out of that band before a decision is made. Lodging with a child near the threshold means preparing the disability-based dependency evidence in advance rather than waiting to be asked.

Do family members who are not migrating still need Form 47A?

Yes. The official page states that each member of your family aged 18 years or over must complete Form 47A, and that this applies even if they are not migrating. The form is part of the application package, not a travel plan.

How do your children affect the balance-of-family test?

Separately from dependency, you must show that you meet the balance-of-family test. The documents the official page lists for this are evidence of how you are related to each child, evidence of each child's Australian citizenship or country of permanent residence, and evidence that a child should not be included in the test, such as a death certificate.

For a family spread across several jurisdictions, this is where identity planning meets visa planning. A child's country of permanent residence is a fact the Department asks you to document, and it is assessed for the test whether or not that child is applying with you.

Can you add a child after you lodge?

Possibly, before a decision is made. The official page directs you to complete and send Form 1436 (Adding an additional applicant after lodgement), and to give evidence of your relationship and a copy of the family member's passport. Any family member added after you apply must be in Australia when you add them.

Two related duties follow. You must tell the Department about changes to your family composition, including the birth of a child, and you must notify it of mistakes on the application using Form 1023 (Notification of incorrect answers).

Where does Subclass 884 sit in a longer residence plan?

Subclass 884 is lodged on paper, not online. You must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when you submit the application and when the decision is made; you must pay the first instalment when you apply and a second instalment before the visa is granted, and the application fee is not refunded if the application is refused. You cannot apply if you have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa. While the application is processed, the Department says it is likely to grant a bridging visa, which starts if your current visa expires first.

The Migration Regulations 1994, as compiled on the Federal Register of Legislation, describe subclass 884 as a temporary visa allowing a stay of two years and as the step before the permanent Contributory Aged Parent visa (Subclass 864). Treat that framework as subject to the official pages, which are the authoritative source for current criteria, forms, charges and processing arrangements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my 22-year-old child be included in a Subclass 884 application?

Yes, if they are dependent on you or your partner. The official page covers children who are over 18 but have not yet turned 23, provided they are dependent, and it requires Form 47A plus evidence of at least 12 months of financial dependency before you apply.

Does being a full-time student make my child dependent?

Study does not by itself establish dependency, but the Department lists proof that a dependant is currently studying as one of the documents you could provide to show 12 months of financial dependency. It works best alongside records showing housing and financial reliance on you over the same period.

My child lives in another country. Can they still be treated as dependent?

Living with you is only one of the examples the official page gives for proving dependency; tax records and proof of current study are the others. What matters is whether you can document financial reliance on you or your partner for the 12 months before you apply.

Do I need Form 47A for an adult child who is not migrating?

Yes. The Department states that each family member aged 18 or over must complete Form 47A, and that this applies even if they are not migrating with you.

What happens if my child turns 23 during processing?

You will need to provide evidence that they are dependent on you due to disability, because the 18-to-22 dependency route no longer applies. Given parent visa queue release dates, families should prepare this evidence before lodging rather than after.

Can I add a child to the application later?

You may be able to add family members before a decision is made, using Form 1436, with evidence of your relationship and a copy of the family member's passport. The added family member must be in Australia at the time they are added.

Is Subclass 884 permanent residence?

No. The Migration Regulations 1994 compilation describes 884 as a temporary visa with a two-year stay that precedes the permanent Subclass 864. Confirm the current arrangements on the Department's official pages, which govern criteria, charges and processing.